Class Level + Placement Guidelines

NEW STUDENTS:
please contact us for placement options or questions regarding which classes in which to enroll. We will be happy to direct you to the most appropriate class on our schedule!

YOUTH PLACEMENT

Youth students who wish to enroll in classes at Spectrum Dance should reference both the age guidelines below and teacher placement recommendations before enrolling. Generally, students 9 and under will participate in classes based on their age; students ages 10+ are placed according to teacher recommendation from prior years. All level III, Preteen (except Preteen Beginning levels), Teen and Teen | Adult (TA) classes are invitation only. Other invitation-only classes are clearly marked on the Youth Schedule. New-to-Spectrum students aged 10 and older may contact us with placement questions.

YOUTH PLACEMENT GUIDELINES

The below classes are considered “open” classes that require little to no dance experience. These classes place students by age rather than by experience, although exceptions to this general rule can be made.

Creative Movement, Creative Combo, KinderCombo, Hip Hop Minis:
open to all new dancers. Dancers are generally placed in class according to age.

Mixed Level Classes (Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop) *summer only
Placed by age

Level I Classes (6-7 years)
Open to new dancers and appropriate for beginning students. Minimum 1-2 year placement.
*exception: Lyrical I, which is for ages 10+ and carries a ballet requirement
*exception: Acro I-II, which is invitation only

Level II Classes (9-10 years)
Level II classes are open to new dancers and appropriate for beginning to progressive beginning students. Level II classes have a minimum 1-2 year placement.
*exception: Lyrical II, which is for ages 12+ and carries both a lyrical experience requirement and a ballet requirement and is by invitation only
*exception: Acro II, which is invitation only

Level III Classes (10+)
Level III classes are by invitation only. Returning dancers have received placement from their former teachers. New dancers: please contact us for placement information.

Preteen Beginning level classes (11+)
These classes are open to new dancers. All other Preteen classes not designated as Beginning are by invitation only based on teacher placement.

Lyrical Foundations (10+), Contemporary Foundations (12+), and Intro to Contemporary (12+)
Lyrical Foundations and Contemporary Foundations are open to students aged 10+ and 12+ respectively, and Intro to Contemporary is open to students aged 12+. Enrolled students must have at least one year of ballet experience AND be enrolled in a year-long ballet class.

Preteen, Teen and Teen | Adult Classes
All Preteen, Teen and Teen | Adult classes except Preteen Beginning levels are invitation only. Returning dancers have received placement from their former teachers. New dancers: please contact us for placement information. Teen and Adult dancers who are not enrolling for the school year and who are instead dropping into class should have sufficient experience in each dance discipline to attend that level of class. Please reach out to us if you are a Teen or Adult looking to drop into a class.
*exception: Preteen Beginning levels, which are enrolled into based on age

Teen | Adult Beginning + Open-Beginning Classes (13+)
Open to new dancers and appropriate for beginning students.

TEEN + ADULT GUIDELINES

Teen | Adult Beginning classes are open to all new students.

Preteen and Teen | Adult classes designated as “Open” classes are appropriate for advanced (more progressed) beginning to (low) intermediate levels. These classes are appropriate for students who have good fundamental knowledge and technique.

Intermediate through Advanced levels should be taken only with relevant experience. Please contact us with questions on placement.

The Tuesday + Thursday Contemporary classes are considered Advanced and Intermediate levels, respectively. These classes require extensive experience in Contemporary/Lyrical as well as extensive Ballet experience.